Rosé, a perfect match to summer grilling

Last week’s brief bit of sunshine was a good reminder for all of
us that, yes, it is technically spring. And with spring comes one
of our favorite ways to prepare food: On the grill.

Not only do we like grilling because of the flavor it adds, but
also because when you’re done enjoying your meal there’s minimal
clean up required.

As Ann Vogel points out in her column, we in the Pacific
Northwest have the luxury of choosing from land or sea what we want
to throw on our grill. The variations of these dishes give the
appearance of needing different wines, but we think we’ve got one
varietal that can match them all.

When we hear shellfish, we gravitate to a lighter wine. However
the Memorial Day Shellfish Boil,
with its Old Bay seasoning, potatoes, kielbasa sausage, corn, crab
and shrimp, calls for a wine that can stand up to the mélange of
ingredients.

It is for this reason we recommend a Rosé.
Don’t freak out, we’re not asking you to drink a White Zinfandel
like your grandma. We’re talking about a real Rosé — one that
embodies the subtle flavors of the red wine it could have been.

For those unfamiliar with Rosés (or should we say, unfamiliar
with well-made Rosés?) it’s a pink wine that varies in color from
light to ruby. The color depends on the grape and how long the
juice is allowed to mingle with the skins — the longer they sit
together in the fermentation vat, the darker the color.

The wine varies in style from bone dry to syrupy sweet, so look
to the alcohol content for direction. (Remember: the higher the
percentage, the dryer the wine.)

Rosés are fruitier upfront — think strawberry, cherry, raspberry
and watermelon — with negligible tannins. They are food-friendly
wines, which is why we suggest them as the perfect pairing for
Vogel’s seafood medley. If you’re grilling for a large party and
including a mix of seafood, chicken and beef, Rosé is the wine to
chill and serve.

Rosé should be served chilled — as in very, very chilled — and
makes a nice compromise for those trying to decide between white or
red.

If you’re looking to stick strictly in the shellfish department
and have visions of enjoying grilled oysters with Vogel’s
Cilantro-Lime dipping sauce, we’d recommend a white Rioja or white
Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. These wines will
bring an acidity and crispness to the dish that will go well with
the dipping sauce.

We recommend the Marques de Caceres Rioja
Blanco, which retails for about $10 or less.